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The traffic problems on Highway 130 are multifaceted and should be addressed with simple, quickly implemented solutions that are directed towards a greater long-term goal.

The goal of a short-term solution is to reduce the amount of people on Highway 130 at any given hour. We may work with county and state offices, along with the University system to alter our usage patterns by introducing a staggered work hour program. We must also implement comprehensive mass transportation system that includes park & ride lots and para-transit vans.

About a year ago Tim Reese and I had an idea to address a solution for the Keaau-Bypass bottleneck issue through a video presentation. Recently, we have made headway with this project with Lance Garner and the Keaau Youth Business Center. Solutions such as these provide inexpensive short-time solutions, while empowering the youth and showing them that they have a meaningful voice in government.

The long term goal is to provide multiple ingress and egress routes out of Puna and shift economic activity away from Hilo and towards Puna.Multiple routes will not only ease congestion on Highway 130, but they will enhance our emergency evacuation capabilities. This goes beyond just convenience and travel time; it is public safety and desperately needs to be addressed.

We first were handed some worksheets that had the following questions:

1. Where in the world are we?
2. Where is Keaau-Pahoa in the State of Hawaii?
3. How do you get around?

(I kid you not)

We also were asked to make a bumper sticker that would best represent your views of Puna. Mine was: “I’m a Punatic…. Get Off My ASS!”

We were given disposable digital cameras (so it was said…but now that I look at these cameras…there is nothing “digital” about them and they are just disposable cameras) and assigned to take 15 pictures in the next month in the following break down:
5 pictures that represent the context of Keaau-Pahoa Area
5 picures of good things about Pahoa that typify area
and 5 things that needs improvement.

We were also given Driving “Logs” and we are to calculate our driving habits from 4:00 AM until we go to sleep for 7 consecutive days sometime between now and the next meeting.

I asked how much this project is costing…. first figure they threw out was $900,000, I then asked for clarification…. and the project is supposed to be done in two phases if I heard it right at a cost of approximately $56 Million.

Now my thoughts are if they already have these numbers….and all these state people came over for the meeting….but didn’t participate other then throw out numbers…. Has this design already been completed?

Who knows…

I did enjoy the way the panel worked together.

Sticky point in the meeting came when it was mentioned that we were not to mention anything confidential to the media.

I had to put my foot down and say something to the effect of: “Hey… this is a public meeting….etc…. Yadda Yadda…. and I told them about this blog and How I would be writing on my personal Blog about this…”

Had one person that was strongly opposed but he later relaxed up a bit about the idea.

Next meeting: Monday September 22 at 6:00 Keaau Community Center

(The vote was 11 – 8 as to whether it should be in Pahoa or Keaau)

Will update if I remember anything more.

Did see candidate Marzi in the audience…. wheres your H-130 response?

I guess I’ll be hearing directly from Blas, Naeole and Hanohano on their thoughts so I’ll excuse them for not sending in any comment on the project;)

Heather Forester from SSFM International in Hilo gave us her card as a contact for further meeting information. (She was the one that called me last week to remind me of the meeting also)

Interesting looking at what other projects SSFM has been involved with.

….Now, despite multiple run-ins with the law, including a DUI bust in Hawaii back in 2005, while filming “Lost,” Michelle Rodriguez will reprise her character, Ana Lucia, for one episode. Many speculated Michelle Rodriguez Hawaii DUI bust and the early departure of her character were no coincidence.

According to TV insiders at EW.com and several other industry sources, Michelle Rodriguez will most likely appear in the second episode of the upcoming season, which begins early next year. …